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NIU music students lead about 150 students marching in support of the Jena 6 on Lucinda Avenue Thursday afternoon.
Hundreds march in response to the Jena 6
Hundreds of students, both black and white, marched together on campus Thursday for racial equality.
The arrest of six black teenagers in Jena, La., which many speculate to be racially motived, sparked a response both across the nation and on NIU’s own campus.
Members of several student organizations including the NAACP, the Center for Black Studies, the Black Student Union, Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the head organization over black Greek life, organized a campus-wide rally to show their support for the teenagers in Louisiana.
The rally, which began at 6 p.m. on Thursday, attracted hundreds of students to Stevenson North, the starting point of the march.
“This isn’t just a black and white thing, it’s a human thing,” said senior finance major Rachel Purches, who also acted as one of the event’s coordinators.
The students, many of whom wore all black to represent their opposition to the treatment of the black students in Louisiana, said the arrest in Jena was a shock because, they believed, racial relations seemed to be changing throughout the nation.
“It’s horrible that this is happening in 2007,” said Kris Williams, a first-year graduate student in black studies.
Although blacks made up the majority of the students marching, other students of diverse backgrounds did participate in the rally.
“I think [the arrest in Louisiana] is just plain wrong,” said junior English major Bridget Fagan, who is white. “It doesn’t matter what skin color a person has; this is wrong.”
Many of the black students at the rally agreed with Fagan’s sentiments.
“It’s great to see different types of people here,” said Anquineice McDaniel, a junior biological sciences major.
There were marchers pounding on drums and shouting “No peace, no justice” as the large group of students crossed Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue.
Many students said the turnout of about 200 students was significantly higher than expected.
“The turnout here is great; it’s great to see this many people,” said senior communication major Regi Brown. As the march came to an end, students gathered at the Center for Black Studies, and many discussed their views on modern racism.
“Racism is still alive, and we have to stand up when it happens,” said Marcus Smith, a sophomore industrial engineering major.
Some professors marched along with students.
“It’s great to see students involved in a good cause like this,” said Derrick Smith, an NIU instructor of black studies. After the rally, some students remained disappointed with current racial relations throughout the nation.
“Racism is long from over in this county,” said health education major Alana Tinsley.
» Next Campus Article: Pets in dorms raises the hair on people's backs
I would like to offer my insight into the discussion about the 'Jena 6' controversy. The placement of nuises onto a tree that African-Americans sat under was distasteful, but not illegal in the jurisdiction of Jena, Louisiana.
Our criminal justice system provides punishment that is proportional to the severity of the crime committed. The students that also instigated violence, but were not charged, should be charged if there is evidence that substantiates such charges. However, those charges must be based on the severity of the crimes committed, not the color of the perpetrator's skin or the seriousness of the charges of the primary defendents.
Randomly choosing any student because of the color of his skin and beating him in the head is obviously more severe than simply instigating a previous conflict. The severity of this crime was heightened because of the prior criminal record of the primary defendant, which included assault.
Fortunately, we can discourage actions which are legal, but distasteful and hurtful. I ask, however, why there is not greater outcry about the use of the "n" word and other slurs against women in some music and culture? There should be no double standard.
Our criminal justice system provides punishment that is proportional to the severity of the crime committed. The students that also instigated violence, but were not charged, should be charged if there is evidence that substantiates such charges. However, those charges must be based on the severity of the crimes committed, not the color of the perpetrator's skin or the seriousness of the charges of the primary defendents.
Randomly choosing any student because of the color of his skin and beating him in the head is obviously more severe than simply instigating a previous conflict. The severity of this crime was heightened because of the prior criminal record of the primary defendant, which included assault.
Fortunately, we can discourage actions which are legal, but distasteful and hurtful. I ask, however, why there is not greater outcry about the use of the "n" word and other slurs against women in some music and culture? There should be no double standard.